Banh Mi Sandwiches

Vietnamese grilled pork sandwiches

Ingredients

Marinade

• 2 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup minced lemongrass
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground black pepper
• 5 shallots, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 Tablespoons roasted sesame oil
• 2 Tablespoons peanut oil/regular cooking oil
• 2 Tablespoons sweet soy sauce

Sandwich

• 4-6 8-inch baguette rolls, sliced lengthwise in the center
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
• 5 jalapeño chilies, deseeded and thinly sliced
• pickled carrots and daikon (store-bought or homemade)
• mayonnaise

Directions

Lightly pound the pork slices with a mallet. In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients well. Put in the pork slices and marinate for about 1-2 hours, or overnight. Discard excess marinade before use.

Heat grill until ready to use. Gently arrange marinated pork slices onto the grill. Grill until the pork is nicely charred on both sides and meat is thoroughly cooked. If using an indoor broiler oven, broil for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the meat is completely cooked and nicely charred.

Remove the pork from the grill and assemble the baguettes with mayonnaise, and then put the sliced jalapeño chilies, a slice of grilled lemongrass pork, and finish off with a handful of pickled carrots, daikon, cilantro leaves. Serve a whole baguette or cut the baguette in half.